Love Is Like War
by xXShiningintheDarkXx
Summary: /SasuSaku/ I'll put it this way Sasuke-kun: love is like war, very easy to start but hard to stop. I just wish I wasn't telling you this at the end of one. It's very dampening for my love for you. Post-canon. Rated T for slight language. R&R!


Hello everyone! I'm in the house! This is my first story so please bear with me if there is some unoriginality.

**Prompt:** Love is like war: very easy to start and hard to stop.

It just seemed to exactly fit Sakura's love for Sasuke, so I decided to write a story on it!

Enjoy! XD

* * *

Wind flowed through the silent valley, picking up the dust from the desolate surface littered with bodies of ninjas belonging to the Shinobi Alliance; along with the broken forms of the Juubi's minions. The dust stung the eyes of the survivors, making it very hard to see, but for the ones that could, they could discern three figures, all standing together, looking down on the broken and very dead body of Uchiha Madara. The closest ninjas could even make out their appearances, watching them with awe.

…

The one standing to the left had her arms to her side and was kneeling down, supporting herself from the chakra loss that she had sustained. Her shinobi pants were ripped, torn off till mid thigh from attacks. She had lost her jacket somewhere in the valley while battling the Juubi, so her red shirt was visible. It had her clan symbol on the back, a white circle. Her pink hair was picked up by the wind and small strands were flying away where kunais had flown through her hair.

On the right, a boy was standing, his sword drawn and the point touching the ground. His clan symbol was widely recognised, a red a white fan on a grey zip up shirt. His sword holster was strapped to the purple ribbon on his baggy black pants. Spiky black hair flowed slightly with the breeze.

In the middle, the last member glowed brightly, emitting a bright yellow light. The intricate pattern of commas and dots on his back gave him infinite respect from his fellow shinobis. His spiky blonde hair didn't move, standing straight up just as he did, towering over his defeated opponent.

Their names were famous.

**_Together.._**

Disciples of the three legendary Sannin:

**_..they made up.._**

Haruno Sakura, Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto.

**_..Team 7._**

…

Sakura panted harshly as she fought to get her breath back. Her body had sustained many hits, one of them a fatal one, where Madara had pierced her heart with his staff. But she wasn't called the greatest medic of the battlefield for nothing. With the help of her stored-away chakra in the diamond other forehead, she had managed to heal herself. She slowly stood up, swaying a bit.

"We did it…." she spoke softly, making Sasuke and Naruto switch their attention to her. "We actually did it!" she broke out into a smile, looking at her teammates with all the joy in the world. Sasuke looked at her, the corners of his mouth just turned the tiniest bit upwards.

Naruto gave her his signature grin. "We sure did Sakura-chan!" he cheered, holding out his arms. Laughing, she tackled him into a hug. They swayed for a while, turning round and round. Sasuke watched them, a sense of peace settling over him.

_'__Finally,'_ he thought._"The wretched war is over."_

He put his sword in his holster and deactivated his Sharingan, red eyes turning back to onyx.

Sakura looked over Naruto's shoulder, to find Sasuke looking down at Madara, with absolutely no emotion in his eyes. She slowly walked over to him, careful not to disturb him. His eyes flickered towards her for one second, before returning to stare at the other last member of his clan. Her eyes softened as she contemplated exactly what he was thinking about. Wrapping her slender arms around his muscular one, she leaned against him.

_'__Don't worry Sasuke. Just because another clan member is dead, doesn't mean all hope is lost for the Uchihas.'_

"Aa."

Sasuke replied with his usual comment, understanding Sakura's body language. He didn't quite respond to her hugging him, but he didn't push her away either, which made Sakura content. She tightened her grip a little more and buried her face in his bicep. Sasuke tensed with the extra affection and contact.

Noticing this, a frown appeared on Sakura's face. She stepped back, a bit hurt, staring at him. He wouldn't look at her. His long bangs hid hid eyes as he stared at his shoes. Even though everybody was caught up celebrating and the whole valley was filled with noises and shouts of joy, it seemed silent for the two teenagers. Sakura looked away, staring at the happy scene before her. She wasn't affected by it: she felt hollow.

_"__Why? Why can''t he let me in? Why can't he see that I so blatantly…"_

She broke a little inside, another piece of her heart caving in.

_" …__.love him?"_

"Sakura."

Her head shot up, surprised at him starting the conversation.

"…!"

He kept clenching and unclenching his hands, as if wondering what to say. Of course, Sakura picked this up, being the observational medical ninja she was. She inclined her head, as if she was contemplating. He stopped the movement with his hand, looking up with determination. This was the first time since her meeting with him at Orochimaru's lair that he showed even a bit of….

Emotion.

The intense expression in his eyes made her lower her gaze, down to the blood stains in front of her.

**_"_****_Do you still love me?"_**

…

Sasuke stared at the pinkette, he apple green eyes hidden by her signature pink hair. After what seemed like an eternity, she looked up again, her eyes soft, honest and…..

**Vulnerable.**

At this moment, Sasuke realised how easy she was to break right now.

"Well?" he snapped, ignoring his earlier revelation. She just smiled, confusing him.

"It's complicated Sasuke," Sakura breathed out. "I don't know what you expect me to say. But I can tell you this: I used to be a fangirl before the Chunin Exams, I admit that. When you got the curse seal, however," Sakura's expression hardened, remembering the ordeal." I knew, looking at you and Naruto, at your weakest moment, that you weren't Prince Charming. You didn't, all the time, come in and protect me from each and every bad guy. I learnt that when I was fighting the Sound ninja."

She smiled, more softly. "I don't know exactly when I fell in love, during the Chunin exam or the aftermath or the stupid missions. But I knew I was in love, when you broke my heart, leaving Konoha. Otherwise, why would I have a broken heart?" she said, a hint of bitterness, tucked away somewhere.

"After that, I trained. I trained hard, so that I could bring you back."

Sasuke opened his mouth to retaliate, but Sakura cut him off.

"I trained, because I love you."

…

He didn't seem impressed. Sakura frowned. Dammit why wasn't he impressed?

"Sakura," his voice was angry, with just a touch of bewilderment. "Dammit, Sakura, I tried to kill you. Why do you still love me, when I don't fucking deserve it?!" his voice had risen to a shout.

She just stared at him, looking into his dark pools, which were having a hint of red at the corners. She knew better than to smile again. He was already angered, it was better not to infuriate him. She sighed.

"I thought that speech I gave would make you understand, but obviously you didn't." she said. "I'll put it this way, Sasuke-kun," He winced when he heard the old suffix. He liked the new Sakura better, the one that didn't openly show her affection for him or made him…

**Feel.**

"Love," she continued, "is like war Sasuke-kun. It is very easy to start, but very hard to end. I just wish, I wasn't telling you this at the end of one." she broke off.

"It just seems even more…dampening for the unending love that I have for you." she started again, a tremble in her voice."I've loved you with all my heart for such a long time, that, I've forgotten how to not love you, Sasuke-kun. And I don't have any intention to start." she whispered the last part, finally breaking her gaze away, unable to look him in the eye any longer.

She felt moisture beginning to gather behind closed eyelids. Furiously, she fought to hold them back. An inner war was raging inside her.

_Dammit, I swore wouldn't cry in front of him. Never, never…_

Her resolve faded as the first tear crept out, leaving a clean trace of the path where it had traveled, and fell to the dusty ground, where it left its trace. Another few droplets fell next to the first one, making a whole cluster.

**_Haruno Sakura was crying again….._**

And it broke Naruto's heart, to see all of Sakura's strength….

**_To go down the drain._**

…

Sasuke watched his teammate cry, the tears not affecting him a bit. Of course being a proud freakin' Uchiha, he wouldn't admit that they were affecting him…

_Just a tiny bit._

Except it was affecting him.

A lot.

If there was one thing he knew….

He **hated **seeing a certain pink haired kunoichi cry.

…

"Sakura," his voice rang out over what Sakura thought was a kilometre separating them. He sounded vaguely annoyed. She let out a bitter sob. He would never change…

_Yet why was she trying?_

Looking up, jade eyes sparkling in the newly risen sun, she was surprised to see her love holding out a hand to her from above. She din't even realise she was crouching down, holding the ground for support once more.

Just to irk the last Uchiha, she didn't take his hand, she stood up on her own, all traces of emotion gone from her face, like a true shinobi. She stood up straight, trying to compensate for the height difference between them, staring into his bottomless eyes with newfound strength.

"I just realised, I never really answered your question." she began. He raised an eyebrow.

Sasuke wondered what the woman meant. She just gave a speech about her loving him and now she said she didn't answer the question?

"_Goddamn freaking woman…."_ thought Sasuke.

But outside, he was a man of indifference. Like always.

"I'm going to straight up answer your question." she said, traces of her former proudness returning. Sasuke raised another eyebrow.

**"****Yes, I do love you Sasuke."**

Unlike before, she said this right into his eyes, with so much strength and boldness, Sasuke really was taken aback. Long gone was the girl who used to compliment him at his every move, attack or ideas. This woman in front of him…didn't remind him of the old, annoying girl he had come to know when he was in Konoha.

She had truly blossomed..

**_into something beautiful._**

And, finally, Uchiha Sasuke fell for her.

**Hard.**

…

_"__Ohmigod…..Did he just….Is he…"_

_"__Kissing me?"_

_…_

Time seemed to stop for Sakura as Sasuke touched his lips to her. Surprisingly, they were very soft. She expected them to be chapped and rough after the battle, but apparently not. His hands were clutching the back of her neck, as if to support her. Sakura, still in shock, had her hands in the air right next to his shoulders. Her eyes were wide, looking straight at those dark and alluring Uchiha eyes. He slowly started moving his lips against hers and she finally melted. She closed her eyes and ran a hand through his hair, while the other was at the back of his neck.

It was a shy kiss, which heavily contrasted with his arrogant and confident personality. A personality that was quickly slipping from Sakura's mind as their lips moved together in a sweet harmony. He tasted like fresh, masculine…..

Like Sasuke.

Sakura didn't know how to describe it. She sure did enjoy it. But she was mad at the onyx haired man for kissing her unexpectedly. For him to be uninjured, he had to keep kissing.

…

It was odd that this was happening, but there didn't seem to be any awkwardness between Sasuke and Sakura, considering the last time they were standing this close was when he left the village and when he had tried to kill her.

His fingers combed through bubblegum pink locks hair then trailed softly down her spine until reaching the small of her back, where his hand paused and pulled her body closer. Both of needed air, so he broke of the kiss, panting with a little exertion. Sakura, however, was a gasping mess. She had her head against his chest, a great contrast between her very pink cheeks and crisp grey of his shirt.

Finally, catching her breath, she glared at the Uchiha, a death stare rivalling his own.

"Uchiha bastard!" she softly yelled, pushing him away. "You dare to kiss me! That to without any permission! I should slap your face all the way to Konoha jail!" she heatedly said. He chuckled at her childish behaviour. It was a sweeter version of a sometimes arrogant smirk.

Moving to fast for the normal eye to follow, he appeared behind Sakura, head resting on her shoulder, right next to her face, arms around her waist.

"You won't," said Sasuke smoothly, sending shivers down Sakura's spine.

"You love me too much to do that."

"And Sakura.."

**_Love is like the wind,_**

"You're annoying."

**_you can't see it but you can feel it._**

…

"I thought you were going to say something else." she said, looking away. Sasuke span her around, hands still around her waist.

"Sakura, you know I'm not the romantic type. That's the only way I can say I love you. You're always on my mind, around the clock. I can't get you out of my head. You interfere with my thoughts every time in battle. You're annoying…." he whispered the last part.

Sakura looked sideways at him through her eyelashes, a slight blush appearing on her cheeks as what Sasuke had said finally reached her brain, and what it meant.

_I love you too Sakura_

_…_

Naruto watched from a distance, a bright, happy grin on his face. Being the stupid, dense, annoying person he was, he just had to break up their little moment. He yelled.

"Hey teme, Sakura-chan!"

They both turned around, Sasuke scowling and glaring at Naruto, while Sakura had a puzzled expression on her face.

"When can I expect to see little Uchiha babies running around?" he shouted even more loudly.

…

**Silence.**

…

Naruto gulped. He had just shouted that out into the silent field. Everybody heard that. He gulped again, harder, scared for his life.

"Naruto…" said Sasuke and Sakura, both with a menacing undertone.

Having gained some intelligence over the years, Naruto bolted through the ninja crowd., racing to find Hinata.

"HELP, HINATA-CHAN!"

"GET BACK HERE YOU BAKA!"

xX _Love is like war: it is very easy to start, but very hard to stop._ Xx

* * *

**Aanddd done!**

**It took forever to get this out! Almost a week! Editing and re-editing! Whew! Anyways, criticism is accepted so please R&R!**

**Love,**

**xXShiningintheDarkXx**


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